Never Dance On Your Own
by BaronessBlixen
Summary: Niles tries to help David with matters of the heart. One-shot. Fluff. For crazysockmonkeys!


**A/N**: Thanks to Kristen3 who inadvertently gave me the idea for this story (quite a while ago). This is for crazysockmonkeys, because it's her birthday and because she's an awesome writer.

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The moment David walked into the apartment, Niles knew something was wrong with his son. As luck had it, he had decided to work in the living room that day. His office had seemed sticky and so he'd gone home to work from there. Since Daphne was still with his father and David in school, he had decided to just work from his favorite fainting couch and enjoy the day. After all, it was Friday. But then David rushed in. He didn't greet him and Niles wasn't even sure he had seen him. He ran up the stairs and a moment later his door slammed shut. Normally it was Daphne who dealt with this kind of situation. Mainly because they happened when Niles was still at work. David was a good child, everyone always told him so. His teachers loved him, because he was bright and attentive. Just like his father, Daphne would often say with a smile. Unlike Niles however, David seemed to have the whole package. He was intelligent and his peers liked him – despite his flaming love for classical music. Even though his son was already ten years old, Niles still thought of him as his baby. He knew Daphne did, too. They both wanted him to grow up, let him be whoever he wanted to be. Just the letting go part was hard to accept. However, Niles felt the need to go after his son.

He knocked softly on the door. Usually, David left his door open, because he was running around the apartment anyway. And he would laugh so much. He had a beautiful laugh that sounded like a melody. In many ways it reminded him of Daphne's laugh. There was so much of her in their son and he was incredibly thankful for it.

"It's dad." Niles added unnecessarily when David didn't answer.

"Come in." The boy's muffled voice finally said.

Slowly, Niles opened the door to his son's sanctuary. When he'd been younger the room used to be filled with stuffed animals of all kinds and sizes. Now there were posters up on the wall with smiling people Niles hardly knew. He'd caught a few names here and there, but they didn't mean anything to him. Some were athletes, some musicians. David broadened his horizon and Daphne constantly told Niles it was a good thing. However, there was still a picture of the two Crane men from the day they'd first gone to the opera together on David's nightstand. Just the sight of it always calmed Niles. He had the same picture in his study.

"You didn't even say hello. Are you- is everything alright?"

"Yes." David answered much too quickly. He turned away from his father and stared out the window.

"You know you can talk to me. About anything." Thoughts raced through Niles' head. Kids could be cruel. Especially to a Crane boy. Just because David hadn't been bullied until now, it didn't mean it couldn't have started. Seeing his son in pain was the hardest thing he'd ever had to face. Whether it was a cold or a scratched knee – or this emotional turmoil he didn't want to talk about. In the past he thought he knew what pain meant. Nothing could have ever prepared him for any of this and it seemed like he would never get used to it.

"I know, dad. But you wouldn't understand."

"I understand many things."

"Not this."

"Is it about some sport? You know, you could call your grandfather and he-"

"It's not about sports. It's about a girl." David finally blurted. He blushed when the words were finally out. While Niles was surprised, he couldn't help but chuckle. His son stared at him grimly.

"I'm sorry, David. But you know I was younger once, too. I know a few things about girls."

"You have mom and you've been with her for like a million years." The early stages of a brooding teenager, Niles noted. He chose to ignore his son's attitude for the moment.

"Have I ever told you how your mom and I got together?"

"Of course you have," David rolled his eyes, "Just like a million times." That seemed to be his new favorite expression.

"Well, but did you know that I loved your mom long before we got together?" Again, David nodded. The conversation obviously bored him.

"David, please look at me," Niles said, suddenly serious. To his surprise there were angry tears in his son's eyes. "Why don't you tell me what happened, hm?" After a moment David nodded.

"There's this girl… her name's Lucy. I really like her. She's pretty cool and she takes piano lessons, too, so we often talk about that." Looking at David telling his story, Niles felt like looking into a mirror. A very old one. This was his own face, his own story. He had been older, yes, and the situation hadn't been quite the same, but he saw himself in his son's eyes. And it broke his heart in two.

"There's this stupid assignment for next week where we get extra points for coming up with a dance. I wanted to ask mom to show me… and her. I wanted to dance with Lucy, dad." David tried to stifle his sobs and wiped his runny nose on his sleeve. No matter how strong his feelings for this girl were, he was still a boy. Still so young.

"Did you ask her?" Just asking the question was hard for Niles, but he wanted to help his son. If he could have, he would have gladly taken this pain from him. He knew this was one of life's many lessons, but his only purpose in life was to be there for his family. Especially David.

"No," he whispered, "I didn't dare and then-and then another boy asked her." David was fully crying now. Niles' own heart hurt badly as he took his son into his arms. At least he wasn't too old to let himself be comforted.

"I want to tell you something," Niles said to David, never breaking the hug. Gently, he stroked his son's back. "I know your mother and I have told you, in your own words, a million times how we got together, but I bet there's something you don't know." In many ways, David was too young to hear all of this. Maybe it wasn't even something he was supposed to know about his parents. About his father. But Niles wanted him to know.

"I fell in love with your mom the first time I saw her. You know that. But before I told her, I became her friend. Not because I decided to, but because it happened that way. There were many moments when I almost told her. But you see, just like you I was too scared. I almost lost her because of it. I came so very close to losing her." After all these years, it still hurt to think about how his and Daphne's love story almost didn't happen.

"So I shouldn't be sad, because in the end everything will be alright?" David broke the hug and stared at his father.

"No," Niles said with a sad smile, "I know there are many scary things out there. Like asking a girl out, picking a profession. All these things are scary. But I hope you're not too scared to explore all possibilities. I was too scared. I didn't tell your mother how I felt until it was almost too late. I almost lost her and we lost many years that we could have spent together. Instead I chose loneliness and desperation, because I was too afraid to act. I hope – I hope I can teach you that you're able to do anything you set your mind to. If anything happens to you, your mom and I will always be here to catch you."

When David didn't say a word, Niles felt like he had said too much. While he was bright for his age, he was still just a child. He might not have understood all of it. Or any of it. Niles had needed many, many years to understand and accept it. But he hoped some of his words would stick with him.

"You know what? I'll call Lucy. I'll just ask her if she wants to come over and play a duet with me on the piano." With new energy, the boy jumped off his bed.

"If that's ok with you and mom." David stopped in front of his door and smiled sheepishly. Niles' heart filled with love. And with pride. His son was so much stronger than he could ever be. He was braver, too. He guessed he got that from Daphne.

"Of course it is." Niles finally answered when his son seemed to become restless. He listened to his laughter as he ran down the stairs. How easily a young heart could be mended. Before he left his son's bedroom, he once again glanced at the framed picture of him and David. 'I hope you'll always be brave and face every challenge with a smile', he thought before he closed the door behind him.

**END**


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